The Boyfriend
by amitai
Summary: Desperate to get over his feelings for Merlin, Arthur assigns him to Sir Gawain, new at court, only for Gawain and Merlin get on far too well. Even with Morgana's help, winning Merlin back doesn't turn out to be as easy as Arthur had hoped... SLASH.
1. Chapter 1

This has been posted on my livejournal account, xaritomene, for a while now, and I'm only just starting to cross-post it here. I hope it works! Thanks to **Von** who encouraged me to cross-post. :D

* * *

Looking back on it, Arthur reflected rather ruefully that he had no one to blame but himself.

It had been about a month ago that he had finally realised his growing attraction to Merlin was more than simple healthy male bonding, and was edging into the realm of outright infatuation. Instead of thinking things through, he had panicked – badly. And rather than be sane and rational about it, he did everything in his power to make sure that he pushed Merlin as far away as possible. So really, this whole situation had been his fault. He had practically thrown the two of them together, for pity's sake.

His attraction to Merlin was more – persistent – than he would have liked, and Sir Gawain was new to court, was one of several sons, and had no servant to attend him. It was a moment's thought to assign Merlin to him for the time being; a neat solution. Arthur was almost proud of himself.

He saw Merlin less, which was just as well, since he'd been snapping and snarling at the other boy recently, trying to distance himself as much as possible. The look of hurt confusion on Merlin's face every time he verbally slapped him was almost as painful as the look of inevitable resignation he had been starting to wear recently whenever it happened, and it was best for the two of them to spend some time apart.

"You're to work for Sir Gawain." He told him, without looking at the other boy. "He's been assigned rooms the other side of the castle. I don't expect you to wait on me at the same time."

Merlin, in the middle of folding clothes, stopped and stared. "What?" he asked, confused. "I- why? There are any number of servants-"

"My father thinks very highly of his," Arthur doubted Uther had ever even heard of Sir Gawain's father, but he was sure he would have thought highly of him if he had, "And he is to be made comfortable while he is here. This was the least courtesy we can extend him."

"Another servant-"

"Don't interrupt!" Arthur snapped, then felt bad as Merlin looked back down at the clothes and started folding again, his eyes a little hurt, his movements jerky. "You've been trained as a manservant, you're the most suited for the job." He finished, tiredly.

Merlin simply nodded. "Yes, sire."

Perversely upset at this lack of reaction, Arthur prodded. "That's it? No more complaints?"

"They're not likely to go down well, are they?" Merlin challenged, and Arthur acknowledged the point with a grunt. "Who's going to be serving you, then, while I'm gone?"

Arthur shrugged. "I'm not a stranger at court; it's easier for me to train up a new servant than it would be for Sir Gawain." He paused, staring at his servant and friend for a long moment before turning away. This would be so much easier to do if he didn't have to look at Merlin while he did it. "You should go to him now, he'll be wondering where you are."

He heard Merlin put the clothes down, and felt a momentary pang at the lack of argument from the other boy, who would once have been voluble in his disapproval of the scheme. When Merlin reached the door, he just couldn't help himself, and turned, quickly. "Oh, and Merlin?" The darker boy looked up, hopefully. "I'll, er… I'll see you around."

Merlin's expression softened just a little, and he nodded, before slipping out.

* * *

Over the next couple of days, Arthur watched with unfair resentment as Gawain seemed to slowly but surely replace him in Merlin's affections. Whenever he saw the two of them together – which was more often than either of them knew, though he would have denied that he was 'spying' on them, if they had asked; it was just making sure his old servant was in a good position, nothing more – Merlin seemed to be smiling or laughing, and the hands Gawain so often clapped onto the other boy's shoulder were far too friendly for Arthur's liking.

It took a week or so before he swallowed what was left of his pride, and asked Merlin about it.

He still had enough pride to be subtle – never sneaky, Princes were never sneaky – about it. He managed to get himself a minor injury on the practice courts, and headed to Gaius about it when he knew Merlin would be there.

"Physician?" he called out, and pretended to double take when he saw Merlin there. Really, he was getting rather good at this subtlety lark. "Oh, Merlin. Hallo." He said, sweetly, and gained a confused look in response.

"Hi?" Merlin said, doubtfully.

"I'm just here to see the court physician because I injured myself on the practice courts, I didn't know you were going to be here." Arthur told him, and was proud of his cunning.

Merlin frowned suddenly. "How on earth did you manage that?" he asked, hurrying over and grabbing the hand Arthur had gestured with. He had contrived to fall on it when he deliberately tripped as he blocked someone's sword, and though it wasn't broken he wasn't _that_ desperate – he'd manage to bruise it impressively. "Gawain told me you fell over. Arthur, you _never_ fall over." He laid a hand on Arthur's forehead, then backed away just as suddenly as he had come over. Arthur, in a slight daze at the other boy's touch, simply stared at him. "Sorry." He muttered. "Are you sure you're not ill? Gawain said you haven't been quite yourself over the past day or so."

Apparently, his plotting hadn't been as subtle as he had hoped, but Arthur was distracted from that reflection by Merlin's apparent obsession with Gawain. "Ah, yes, Gawain." He said, in what he hoped was a casual fashion. "How is that going for you?"

Merlin flushed a little, and looked away. "Oh, he's very – nice." He said, slowly.

"Really?" Arthur asked, quickly. "Because, you know, if you have any problems, you can tell me, I can," _Sort them_, "Look into it."

Merlin gave him a faintly incredulous look, but answered civilly enough all the same – which was unusual in itself. "No, sire, there are no problems. Sir Gawain is very kind."

"Oh." Some small, unworthy part of Arthur was doing the mental equivalent of stamping its foot and sulking. "That's good, I'm glad. How long is he staying, again?"

"He's joined the Camelot knights for six months, for experience." Merlin said, promptly. "Before he heads back home to Lothian. His brother Gaheris did the same thing a couple of months ago, remember?"

"Ah. Good." He nodded, awkwardly. Merlin stared at him for a moment longer, then shook his head and moved away.

"So, how is your new manservant?" he asked, his voice very light and casual, and for one crazy moment, Arthur wondered whether Merlin felt as jealous of Arthur's new manservant as Arthur felt of Merlin's new master. Then he shook himself out of such a stupid though, and cleared his throat before answering.

"He's very – adequate." He said, stiffly, and Merlin shot him That Grin.

"Really? Gwen said you could hear you shouting at him all over the castle when he messed up your armour."

"A knight is only as good as his equipment." Arthur told him, shifting uncomfortably, and Merlin's grin grew.

"Oh? I thought the equipment was only as good as the knight?" Arthur could remember himself saying that, and flushed awkwardly.

"Well, as Prince of Camelot, I have to uphold the honour of my country, and I can't do that in armour that looks like a beaten out saucepan."

"No. Because, as Prince of Camelot, you have to look _shiny_." Merlin grinned, and Arthur was torn between wanting to kiss him and wanting to box his ears.

"If you were still my servant, Merlin, I'd beat you for that."

"Then I suppose I'm lucky I'm not your servant any more." Both of them winced a little at the reminder.

"Well…" Arthur said, after a long, awkward pause. "I, er… I should get going."

Merlin nodded, mutely, before stopping him suddenly. "I thought you were here for your hand?" he asked, and Arthur managed to hide the wince at his own bungling.

"Oh, yes. Do you know when Gaius will be back?"

Merlin shook his head. "He went to see the Lady Morgana about her nightmares, he could be back in half an hour or so. But, um, here." He grabbed a small pot of a green, slimy-looking goop, and a small bottle. "This should help with the bruising and the swelling." He said, as he corked it. "And a couple of sips of this should help with any pain." He went to hand both of them over, then paused. "Um, will you be alright to carry them?" He asked, uncertainly, and Arthur held out an imperious hand for the two jars.

"I'll be fine, Merlin, it's bruised not broken. Now hand them over."

Merlin obeyed with a slight grin, and for a brief space, it was almost like it had been before. Then Arthur's hand fell back to his side, the moment broke, and he turned to leave.

"Uh, Arthur?" Merlin called after him, and he turned in the doorway. "Hope it, er – gets better quickly."

For once Arthur didn't come back with some sarcastic comment, but simply nodded rather jerkily, and left.

* * *

Things didn't improve over the next week or so, and Arthur had the dubious satisfaction of knowing that not only was his torment of his own making, it was set to go on for six months unless he could think up another plan to rectify his old plan. It was a complicated way to go about things, but it was the best Arthur could think of.

In a moment of weakness, he confessed the whole to Morgana and that maid of hers, and was surprised to find in her a sympathetic ear, for all her speaking looks and wry comments. She didn't laugh like he had expected her to, and she didn't pass judgement. She just… listened. Some of her advice was even useful. But her suggestion that he confess to Merlin was just – ludicrous. So when she suggested that he see about getting close to Gawain, he seized on the idea with enthusiasm.

Over the next few days, he practically stalked the younger knight, until Gawain turned round on morning and asked, with some asperity, whether he had done 'something wrong'. Arthur made a brief note that the kitten apparently had claws, and smiled jovially at him.

"Oh, no." he said, blithely. "I just make a point of trying to get to know all the knights."

Gawain still looked a little suspicious, and raised an eyebrow slightly. However, when he spoke, his voice was perfectly polite, if a little dry. "Well, I'm probably just a provincial bumpkin, but where I'm from we mostly do that by talking."

Arthur considered cursing him for his impudence, and then decided that would be rather counter-productive. "Oh, no." he said, quickly. "I'm just – with all the court intrigue, you know," He adopted what he hoped was an air of sophisticated cynicism, and dammit, there was a _reason_ he usually did this sort of thing with a sword in his hand, "Words can seem a little… over-used. I believe in judging a man by his actions, not by his words."

It seemed to be the right thing to say. A smile broke through the suspicion on Gawain's face, and Arthur fervently hoped he didn't end up liking him as well. That would make all this so awkward. "Well then, your Highness, I'm Gawain of Lothian. It's good to meet you."

Arthur held out a hand. "Good to meet you too, Gawain. And please – the Knights all call me Arthur."

* * *

He took Gawain to one of the many taverns in Camelot and bought him a couple of drinks, then carefully plied him with questions about his home and his life, before leading up to the big one.

"And how are you settling in at Camelot, then, Gawain?" he asked, cheerfully. He hadn't stinted himself on the alcohol either, though knowing he wasn't going to wake up to Merlin's sympathetic grins and peculiar hangover remedies made him a little more wary of it now. The first thing he did when Merlin was his manservant again was to get totally hammered.

…or maybe that was the second thing. Actually, he had a list of things he wanted to do the moment Merlin was his again, and getting drunk was fairly low down on that list.

"Everyone's been very kind." Gawain said, slurring ever so slightly. Looking at him, Arthur couldn't help but think how i_young /i_he was. He himself wasn't exactly old, but Gawain hadn't grown up in the intrigue of Camelot, with Uther as a father. It felt – _wrong –_ to be trying to trick the other man, boy, like this.

"I assigned you a manservant, I hope he's been – adequate?"

"Merlin?" Gawain visibly brightened. "I have you to thank for assigning him to me? Arthur, he's been a treasure. So friendly."

"He's just a servant, Gawain." Arthur said, dryly, and reminded himself of it at the same time, though the hypocrisy was a little bitter in his mouth. Merlin had never been just a servant.

For once, Gawain refused to be dampened by his Prince's disapproval. "Maybe he is just a servant. But he's been such a help to me – more than a friend, a confidante." He had blushed a little as he spoke of Merlin, with a touching earnestness, and he flushed a little harder now. "I daresay things are done differently here in Camelot. But in Lothian, i-it's no shame to acknowledge servants, or to be friends with them. We're a small fief, nothing like Camelot, and things are different. Merlin is a good friend, though, and I shan't say anymore."

Arthur took a long drink of his own ale. "I'm sure you know Merlin was my manservant before he was assigned to you?"

"Yes." Gawain was still flushed, but faintly defiant; those kitten claws were back. One day, this boy was going to make a formidable knight, Arthur could tell. "And I'm sorry if he displeased you in some way, but-"

"Oh, peace." Arthur said, rather tiredly. "What I was going to say was he is a good servant, and a good – person. You can tell him from me that… that it won't be such a trial to have him back when you leave, if he still wants."

Gawain frowned a little, though his flush had lessened. "You can't tell him yourself?"

"From the way you two seem to get on, I'm sure he'd prefer to hear it from you." Arthur commented, wryly, and moved the conversation on.

* * *

The next morning, once his duties were done, he headed back up to Morgana's chambers, and unburdened his heart to her. "He's _nice_." He said, horribly disappointed. "Younger than me, but _nice_. He can't be much more than a year younger than me, but he makes me feel so tired, all that earnestness and decency!"

Morgana quirked a smile at that. "You know, Arthur, you're not so badly off yourself, when it comes to decency."

He mustered up a smile for her. "Can I have that in writing?"

"And be blackmailed by it? No, thank you." She smiled even more widely at him. "It's only six months." She told him, gently. "And you don't have to cut Merlin out of your life completely. Gawain has the courage to tell you that he likes a servant, and I'm certainly not ashamed to say that Gwen," he glanced at her handmaiden, who dropped him a quick curtsey, "Is one of my closest friends. Why don't you make an effort? Get to know _Merlin_ a little?"

Arthur looked away. "It wouldn't be seemly." He said, awkwardly.

"To hell with seemly!" Morgana said, a little exasperated. "I thought you said you loved him?!"

"I do, but-"

"Then what has seemly got to do with the price of butter?" She demanded, and he sagged a little.

"What if he doesn't like me like that?" he asked, looking away from her, and hoping like hell he wasn't flushing.

"Then he doesn't." Morgana said with brutal practicality. "But wouldn't not knowing for sure be better than wondering forever?"

"If I might interrupt, your Highness, my lady," It was the handmaiden, Guinevere, "Merlin _is_ very fond of you, your Highness." She told him. "But he's not always very-" she broke off, considering her words. "He can be a bit stupid when it comes to things like this." Arthur's eyes sparked. "Not all the time!" she hurried on. "But he might not even _know_ what he's feeling. If you got to know him better, made it more obvious to him…"

"He might think about it?" He wanted to sneer her idea away, but she was one of Merlin's friends, and he would hardly that Arthur for hurting her feelings. "Thank you." he said, politely, and she blushed just a little. "It's well worth considering."

"You see?" Morgana said, unforgivably smug. "Get to know him better, and see how things go."

There didn't seem to be anything else to say. He got up, bowed, and left, with things to think about.

* * *

A couple of days later, and he decided to at least try their ideas; what harm could it do, after all? Losing face was infinitely preferable to losing Merlin.

Gaius told him Merlin was with Gawain when he knocked, and Arthur headed over there, trying to think up some pretext for his visit. Since it was dark, a visit to the practice courts was out of the question, but some question about a sword technique from Lothian – no matter that he had never seen Gawain do any such thing, he could always bluff through it – should do it.

He knocked as he opened the door, and instantly wished his father had taught him a greater appreciation for other people's privacy. Gawain and Merlin were stood by the fireplace, Merlin pressed against the wall, Gawain's hands cupping his cheeks, and they had very obviously been – well. _Kissing_.

Arthur felt tilt-silly, suddenly – like he'd gone one too many rounds jousting, or was seeing the world from underwater. Everything seemed to slow, and it was only when he heard Merlin's voice that he snapped out of it.

"Arthur? Your Highness?" he was saying. He was still leant up against the wall, but Gawain had thankfully moved away, while Arthur had been staring, sightless, at them. The younger man was now over by the window, his back to Arthur, his shoulders rigid.

"Er, yes." He said, his voice a little thick. Awkwardly, he cleared his throat. "Um, I just came to ask about a technique I saw you use once," Oh, Arthur _hated_ innuendo, "But I can see you're busy," damn, damn, damn, "So I'll come later. Er, come _back _later." Shit.

Merlin was staring at him, those beautiful eyes of his wide and wary. "You're not… angry? About this?" he gestured at Gawain and then back to himself.

Momentarily, Arthur shut his eyes. Angry wasn't it, no. Heartbroken just about fit it, though. "No, Merlin, you idiot." He said, tiredly. "Why would I be angry?" It didn't matter that his first reaction, once he had recovered from the shock, had been to throw Gawain into the lake, and challenge him for Merlin; or that he had thought for one crazy second that Gawain had somehow forced Merlin into this until he saw Merlin's hands on Gawain's hips. He didn't have the right to be angry, however much he might want it.

"Oh. Good." Merlin smiled, but it looked a little off to Arthur.

Gawain had turned round, and though he had no right to be, he himself looked a little angry. "We are in love." He told Arthur, defiantly, and though Arthur didn't miss the slightly surprised glance Merlin sent his self-declared paramour, he couldn't seem to understand it.

"After two weeks?" he managed, through numb lips. Gawain's answering nod was still a little defiant. "Well…" He said, finally, after a long, awkward pause. "Good wishes to you both, then. Gawain, I will see you in the practice fields." It took conscious effort to make himself look at Merlin. In the end, it was all he could do to nod at him, before he turned and left the room.

* * *

And there it is! Did you like it? Do tell. ^_^


	2. Chapter 2

And the next chapter! In record time for me. ^_^ Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far; I'm delighted you're enjoying it so far. Hope you'll continue to like it!

DISCLAIMER: Not mine in any way, shape or form.

_

* * *

_

_Gawain had turned round, and though he had no right to be, he himself looked a little angry. "We are in love." He told Arthur, defiantly, and though Arthur didn't miss the slightly surprised glance Merlin sent his self-declared paramour, he couldn't seem to understand it._

_"After two weeks?" he managed, through numb lips. Gawain's answering nod was still a little defiant. "Well…" He said, finally, after a long, awkward pause. "Good wishes to you both, then. Gawain, I will see you in the practice fields." It took conscious effort to make himself look at Merlin. In the end, it was all he could do to nod at him, before he turned and left the room._

_

* * *

_

Behind him, Merlin deflated against the wall. "Damn." He said, quietly, and Gawain looked at him, remorse written across his face.

"I'm sorry." He said, ruefully. "I shouldn't have said that. It's just…" his voice went very soft. "I really like you, Merlin. And he – only noticed you the moment you weren't there. It's not fair."

Merlin smiled at him, and took the hand Gawain offered. "It's alright."

"Really?" Gawain asked, hopefully.

"Of course." The mood was broken – Merlin could hardly remember what had prompted that in the first place – but he tried anyway, for Gawain's sake. God only knew the boy looked like someone had just killed his puppy. "Where were we?"

* * *

Arthur was in such a daze, he didn't even realise that his feet had carried him to Morgana's rooms until he stopped outside her door. Since he was here, it would be foolish not to at least enter, and since Morgana had proved herself willing to listen, it might do him some good to unburden himself of this. Some unworthy part of him wanted to see what her suggestion would be to get out of this little development.

Gwen opened his door on the second knock, and smiled when she saw him standing there. "Your Highness. Morgana will be delighted to see you."

Morgana's face lit up into a smile when she saw him, and Arthur could see why men wrote poems to her left eyebrow at the slightest provocation. He only wished he was one of them. Sadly, he couldn't see that Merlin would particularly enjoy poems to his eyebrows, even if he had the knack of writing them, or Merlin the knack of inspiring them.

Perhaps he and Merlin _were_ well suited, then, he thought, a little hysterically.

Morgana was far from stupid, and she could see from her foster-brother's face that there was something wrong. "What is it?" she asked, her voice almost gentle. "I was following your advice." He said, rather numbly, "And went to Gawain's room to look for Merlin. Gawain was – kissing him."

Both Gwen and Morgana gasped. "Gawain tried to force Merlin?" Morgana asked, shocked, but Arthur gave a harsh bark of laughter.

"Oh, no." he said, bitterly. "They are _in love_; Gawain told me so himself."

"Forgive me, your Highness," Gwen spoke up again, apparently unable to keep silent. "But, Merlin hasn't mention anything about being in love. He doesn't even act like it! He's _happy_, but he doesn't seem to be desperately in love with Gawain."

"Maybe," Arthur said, as tactfully as he could manage in the circumstances, "He just didn't feel he could talk about such things with – a lady like yourself."

Gwen's smile was sweet, but faintly amused. "Maybe, sire, but Merlin's not exactly subtle, is he? If he was in love, the whole _castle_ would know about it." Arthur acknowledged the point with a nod. "So there's hope there, isn't there?" she paused, then said, slowly, "I could talk to him, if you like? Find out about it?"

Arthur looked at her with new appreciation, but shook his head. "I can't ask you to betray his friendship." He said, and though he could have kicked himself, it was the right thing to do. And much, he reminded himself, would he have cared about _that_ before his friendship with Merlin.

She looked a little relieved, and bobbed a curtsey. "Thank you sire." She nodded.

He turned to Morgana. "Well, what do you suggest?" he asked, hopelessly.

"Perhaps _I_ should take over with Sir Gawain." She mused, thoughtfully. "See if I can't turn his thoughts in a – safer direction?"

He paused, momentarily. "My father would be furious." He pointed out, slowly, and she gave him the smile which always sent shivers down his spine; the one which always meant mischief.

"It's all in a good cause."

* * *

It took Arthur a few days to get over the relative trauma of seeing Merlin and Gawain together, but once he had got his jealousy under control, he started playing to the plan again. Morgana had been slowly building up her flirtation with Gawain – though Arthur was rather viciously amused to see that the boy seemed to have no idea what to do with her polished compliments and delicate, suggestive smiles – and had been telling him to 'get a move on' with Merlin for the last couple of days. As she put it, 'when we succeed, you're going to have to be sure he's what you really want.' Both of them were refusing to think, for the time being, about the heir Arthur would definitely have to produce for Camelot at some point in the not-so-distant future. For the moment, they had bigger things to focus on.

He finally screwed up his courage, and headed down to the stables, where he knew he would find Merlin tending to Gawain's horse. Guiltily, he took a moment just to watch Merlin rubbing the animal down, watching the flex of muscle, surprisingly graceful movements for such a clumsy person, assured and-

"Stop staring at me, Arthur." Merlin said, jerking him out of his thoughts without even looking round. He paused momentarily in his brushing, and glanced over his shoulder at Arthur, "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"There's no law against standing here, is there?" Arthur managed.

Merlin turned round properly and fixed him with a raised eyebrow. "There probably will be if your father finds out that you're here when you should be on patrol." He said, pointedly.

The warmth Arthur felt on realising that Merlin still remembered his various appointments combined with the heat of Merlin's gaze and left him genuinely worried that he was blushing. "Days are getting shorter, patrol is earlier." He muttered, then changed the subject in the vain hope it would stop him blushing. "Didn't Gawain object to you looking after his horse and so on? You two being 'in love', and all?"

Merlin's grin looked a little forced. "Oh, yes. He got all chivalrous about it." He turned back to the horse and almost pointedly resumed his grooming.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at the darker boy's back. "And…?" he drawled, when it became obvious that Merlin wasn't planning to elaborate.

"And I'm not a girl who needs everything doing for her-"

"Don't let Morgana hear you say that." Arthur murmured, but was ignored.

"-and I'm a manservant. This is what I _do_ – what else would I be doing? I can't get out of practice."

"No." Arthur agreed. "I won't have you getting all slack on me when you come back."

Merlin glanced at him once then away. "So, you do still want me back, then?" he asked, trying for casual, but only really managing 'nervous'. "Even with the whole 'Gawain' thing?"

"Oh, yes!" Arthur said, quickly, then tried to tone down the enthusiasm of his response. "I mean, this whole training up a manservant thing is hard." He said, languidly. "And my current one is even more useless than you were."

Merlin's grin was genuine this time. "Nice to know you're still as charming as ever."

"I'll have you know, I am _incredibly_ charming." Arthur told him, mock-stiffly.

"What, so it's just me who gets to see this side of you? My goodness, I feel so _special_."

Arthur literally had to bite down his instinctive response to that. "Yes, Merlin." He said, careful to add the requisite amount of sarcasm to his tone. "You're certainly 'special'."

In retaliation, Merlin simply tossed a handful of hay in his direction. The horse, a placid bay gelding, simply flicked its tail at him, while Arthur brushed himself down and tried to frame what he wanted to say in his head.

"So – you will still be in Camelot in six months' time?" he asked, casually.

Merlin paused momentarily, hay wisp in one hand, then went back to brushing in long, soothing strokes. "Um, yes?" He asked, slowly. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, I thought, maybe – with this thing with Gawain… you might want to go back to Lothian…"

"Oh, no!" Merlin said, quickly. "It's – not really that… It's never going to, um, work that way, really."

"Good. Good. But, you know, if it was that serious, I want to know as soon as possible." Arthur said, and could have kicked himself for being so obvious. He was so caught up in embarrassment, he didn't notice the half-hopeful look Merlin was giving him. "Because I need to know whether I should start looking for a new servant." He adjusted, carefully not looking at Merlin, and missing his face falling as he said it.

"Oh." Merlin's voice was rather flat. "Well, you needn't worry. I'm staying right here in Camelot."

There didn't seem to be anything else to say, and Merlin's shoulders looked rather set. Assuming he'd upset him – after all, he'd just rubbed his face in the fact that his love was going to be leaving him in a mere six months – Arthur mumbled a goodbye, and left him to it.

* * *

Arthur headed up to Morgana's room, only to find that his foster-sister was still out, and only her maid was there. He hesitated for a moment, but then she smiled at him, and he figured that since he was already in love with one servant, it could hardly hurt to strengthen ties with another.

"Guinevere." He nodded, forming her name carefully, and her smile widened just a little.

"Yes, your Highness. But, er, most people just call me Gwen."

"Gwen, then." He smiled, tentatively, and was rewarded with a beaming grin.

"I take it you've just talked to Merlin?" She asked, turning away to put away one of Morgana's dresses, and he threw himself into one of the chairs with a sigh that was very nearly a groan.

"I'm that obvious?"

She gave him a speaking glance over her shoulder, but shook her head. "No. It's just – you always come up here to talk about him."

"Oh." He paused, a little unsure as to how to go on, but fortified himself with the knowledge that speaking to one servant couldn't be so very different to talking to another, and he'd spoken to Merlin easily enough. Carefully, he ignored the little voice in his head which was telling him, very emphatically, that Gwen would not take well to the casual insults he heaped on his once-manservant.

"It's not like we mind, though, of course!" Gwen said, rather hurriedly, taking his silence as offence. "Well, it's not like _she_ minds, really, because it's not my place, is it, to, er, criticise." Arthur realised with a jolt that Gwen was just as much at a loss as he was in all this.

That actually made things easier; and he could see now that talking to Gwen was actually much more like talking to a shy version of Morgana – a version who couldn't throw things at him when he was rude or unkind without running the risk of losing her job, and everything else she held dear. Which just meant he had to be polite, and kind, and not do anything to upset her. Arthur's moral code was a shaky one, but since Merlin's arrival, it did at least include not bullying people who couldn't fight back

His silence while he had this epiphany was making her nervous, though, and he hurried to say something. "Um, yes, I've just come from talking to Merlin." His mind caught up with what she had said, and he paused, awkwardly, before saying slowly, "Though, if you _don't_ want to talk about it, I'll just, um… well, I won't."

Gwen looked so shocked at that that Arthur was almost insulted, but then she was speaking, rather tentatively herself, and he had no time to take umbrage. "Oh, no, I don't mind! I just wish I could do something to help. How did it go, then?"

He shrugged, rather listlessly, mind going back to his conversation with Merlin. "Not well." She made a sympathetic sound. "I think he really does love Gawain." He sighed. "And what's worse, I just don't know _why_! What does Gawain have that I don't?"

From the look of Gwen's face, she had a couple of ideas about that, but when she opened her mouth, her words were carefully polite. "Nothing, I'm sure, your-"

"What?" he interrupted. "What is it?"

"Well…" She paused, then said, quickly. "It's just, you're quite – open, you know?"

"In what way 'open'?" he asked, suspiciously.

"You can just seem a bit – overwhelming. Your Highness." She added, quickly. "And Gawain, from what I've seen of him, is a little less… frightening?"

"I've never frightened Merlin!" he said, insulted. "Stupid sod didn't have the wits to be frightened." He muttered, morosely, but Gwen didn't appear to hear it.

"No, I know!" she hurried to reassure him. "But – um…" She paused, then said, all in a rush, "You're quite – in your face, and Sir Gawain is quite gentle, isn't he? Maybe Merlin just… wanted a change? For a bit."

"Not for a bit." Arthur told her, gloomily, leaning back into his chair with a sigh. "He got all upset when I reminded him that Gawain would be gone in six months." He sighed again, even harder this time. "I'm not even sure I want to break them up." He confided, his eyes shut. "Merlin seems to really love Gawain." He found he couldn't say Gawain's name without a sarcastic little emphasis on it, and made a mental note not to do it around the man himself. "And – if he's happy…" he shrugged, helplessly. This wasn't normal territory for him.

Gwen, however, seemed to have gone mushy in the ways that only girls seemed able to manage. "That's so sweet." She told him, then flushed darkly. "I mean, not that I think you're _sweet_, everyone knows you're a great warrior, it's just – you – that's a really nice thing to say. About Merlin."

He gave her a slightly confused look – did she always talk like that? – and she stopped abruptly. He offered her a smile he was sure looked as confused as he felt, but she seemed to relax a little; emboldened, he resumed talking. "So, how about you? I've heard all Morgana's ideas, d'you have any genius plans I should try?"

She bit her lip, thinking for a moment, before saying slowly, "Well… you don't really know much about their relationship, do you? Merlin and Gawain's, I mean." He shook his head, trying to see where this was going. "Well – maybe you should… find out a bit more about it? You know, spend time with them while they're together."

"They won't act normally while I'm around, and I'm not going to spy on them."

"No." She agreed, innocently. "But while you're with them, there are lots of things Gawain wouldn't be able to do to Merlin."

When she put it that way, of course, it was a fantastic plan.

* * *

Morgana was having a rather less productive time with Gawain, who, though polite and charming, was about as responsive to her advances as his horse. After another hour of subtle hints and delicate flirtations, she was starting to lose the will to live – it was as though he just didn't i_see_ /ithem.

Finally, after listening to him maunder on about the differences between Camelot and Lothian for nearly a quarter of an hour, she interrupted, dropping her handkerchief with an artistic little sigh. "Oh, how clumsy I am!" She smiled, sweetly at him. "You couldn't possibly get that for me, could you?"

He gave her an engaging smile, and really, if he hadn't been so obtuse, she would rather have liked him. In an 'irritating little brother' sort of way. "Of course, my lady." He offered it to her with a rather absent bow, then straightened, looking a little awkward. "My lady, may I be plain?"

"Are you able to be both plain and brief?" she asked, under her breath, then favoured him with a wide smile. "Of course, Sir Gawain. I would so like to have a – closer relationship with you." Because then, I could call you a cloth-eared twit whenever you were being this thick, she added, mentally.

He looked deeply uncomfortable. "It's just – um, my lady, you've been very, ah… _attentive_, for several days now, and I'm truly grateful for your attentions, but… it's not-" he broke off, apparently unsure as to how to go on. "Well, you are Prince Arthur's foster-sister, and I assume he mentioned my, um, relationship with my – with Merlin?" he asked, flushing to the roots of his hair.

Morgana, who had heard and thought of very little else ever since she found out about it, managed to nod disinterestedly. "He mentioned it, briefly."

"Then – well, I'm truly flattered by your kindness, but I just feel you're maybe being a little… too kind?" he said, his tone a mix between gentleness and intense embarrassment. "Because you must know that I'm not – that way inclined." She hadn't thought it possible, but Gawain was even redder now than he had been before. "Not to mention, I could never – when Merlin… I couldn't."

As far as set-downs went, it was both the nicest and the most depressing Morgana had ever received. None of her other flirtations had been at all important, and the one time that it was, this was the result. "I just – you're too nice a man to be wasted on a servant?" She tried.

Gawain drew himself up. "This is an attitude I've encountered so often here-" he began, looking a little angry, and Morgana sighed.

"Sir Gawain, I'll be honest with you." She said, quietly, and he stopped in mid-flow. "My handmaid, Guinevere, is a close friend of Merlin's. We've all seen relationships like this, and she just didn't want him to get hurt. I had to try."

He gave her what was evidently the first true smile he had given in the whole of their conversations, and she could feel her heart melt a little. He was a couple of years younger than her, but his smile was radiant. "You are very good." He told her, simply, and she only just restrained her wince. If Arthur hadn't been so miserably in love with Merlin – and he _was_ sickeningly in love with the boy, it was obvious in the way he spoke about him, the great gaby, and in that doe-eyed, stupid look he got sometimes when Merlin was around – she might well have called the whole thing off right there.

As it was, she simply smiled. Gawain was a nice boy, but everyone had been able to see for weeks that what Merlin and Arthur had was special, and, however nice he was, Gawain just couldn't hope to compete with that.

Rallying, she decided that if she couldn't be of any use as a distraction for Gawain, she could at least gain as much information as possible before she beat an honourable retreat. "How is your relationship with Merlin?" She asked, lightly, smoothing down her skirt.

He looked momentarily troubled. "Should I be talking about such a thing in front of – a lady?" he asked.

She laughed, gently. "This is Camelot, Sir Gawain. As you said yourself so, er, _volubly_ – things are different here."

"Yes. Well, my lady, I – my intentions to him are completely honourable." A brief echo of his earlier, beaming smile passed briefly over his face. "You can tell your handmaiden that I won't pressure him into anything he doesn't want to do. I-I… love him."

Morgana nodded, sympathetically. "And he loves you, of course?" She asked, careful to keep her voice light and disinterested. "After all, he must be grateful for your kind attention."

He shook his head, but she couldn't tell what he was disagreeing with. "I hope not." He said, but his voice was a little flat. "He- I want our relationship to be equal."

"But he does love you, I'm sure." She pressed.

His mouth was rather set, but he simply shrugged. "We haven't talked about it." He said, before making some excuse, and leaving her there, rather abruptly. Morgana was left staring after him, mind racing.

* * *

She hurried back to her rooms, only to find Gwen talking quite amiably with Arthur about their current problem. He was slumped in a chair at the table, while she went about her normal tasks, and there didn't seem to be anything in the way of awkwardness in the air; Morgana, who was used to watching Arthur keep strict boundaries between himself and the servants, simply stared. Then again, he had no problems getting close to Merlin, she supposed, and let it go. She just hoped he didn't set his sights on poor Gwen if his adoration of Merlin fizzled through.

"Arthur, to what do I owe this pleasure?" she asked, calmly, and he gave her a Look.

"Gwen tells me you know perfectly well."

"Merlin, of course." She tempered her words with a smile, and caught the slight smirk Gwen was hiding in the background.

"How did things go with Gawain, my lady?" Her maidservant asked, pulling out a chair for her, and she sank into it gracefully.

"We-ell… There's good news and bad news." She said, slowly, and Arthur groaned.

"What's the bad news, then?"

"Gawain is a faithful boy at heart," She gave Arthur a pointed glance, and he had the grace to blush, "And he had no interest in flirting with me." Another groan. "I think i_you'd_ /ihave to flirt with him for him to be at all interested, Arthur, and even then, he seems to really love Merlin. It's going to take more than flirting to distract him."

"Oh, _perfect_. Him and Merlin are a right pair then." Arthur muttered, and Gwen smiled, sympathetically. Morgana, certain she was missing something, paused for a moment but continued anyway.

"Oh, yes." She smiled, twisting the knife just a little. "He was very clear about it. He wants Merlin to feel that they're i_equals/i_, that he's not pressuring Merlin into anything. Oh, and his intentions are," Arthur stood up and began to pace. "Completely honourable." She finished, with a little grin at Gwen. "He told me he loved Merlin i_completely/i_…" Just as Arthur was starting to look almost suicidally miserable, she took pity on him. "But from what he said, I don't think Merlin is completely in love with him."

Arthur stopped his pacing, staring at her hopefully. "Really?"

"Truly." She confirmed, solemnly.

"Well, then." He said, slowly. "I guess there's hope after all?"

* * *

And there it is! ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it - do tell.

-amitai


End file.
